Put a Face on that Clam

A common question from Linux users, particularly new Linux users, is “Do I need antivirus on my system?” My answer is usually “it depends.” For the most part, unless you’re sharing files with Windows users (whether via Samba or across the Internet), dual-booting into a Windows environment, or running a mail server, you probably don’t need antivirus. For the time being, antivirus on Linux is more for the protection of others than of your own system.

If you do need antivirus, one of the most commonly-used Linux packages is ClamAV. It’s licensed under the GPL, it’s under active development, and it’s a very capable and flexible scanner. However, the base package is primarly command-line driven.

The KlamAV project changes that, providing a convenient KDE GUI front-end for ClamAV. It largely emulates the capabilities of any standard desktop scanner found in the Windows world, allowing manual scans, quarantine management, email scanning, and more. The download includes the GUI as well as ClamAV and the Dazuko module for on-access scanning, and a simple script automates the installation process.

If you miss running AV scans from your Windows days or just want to get a jump on things for the day Linux viruses do start to rear their ugly heads, this package should simplify things greatly.